Supporting structure for the supporting assembly of motor vehicles



Get. 3, 1950 R. D. SMITH SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FDR THE SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY OF MOTOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 INVENTOR.

Roy D. 5mm

I 9 FIE-E Oct. 3, 1950 R. D. SMITH 2,524,576

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR THE SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY OF MOTORVEHICLES Filed Aug. 17, 1945 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 'I IIImII/IIII/IIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII I I I 33 l; 2; Ir s INVENTOR.

BY Roy D. JMITH W2 2 Mm Patented Oct. 3,, 1950 SUPPORTING ASS VEHICLES EMBLY' F Moron Roy D. Smith, Mertzon, we... assignor to Beef Line Company, Scott County, Iowa, a copartnership Application August 17, 1945, Serial No. 611,023

1 Claim.

The present invention relates, in general, to the art of checking the steering assembly of a motor vehicle and more particularly to the mechanism for so supporting the front wheels of such a vehicle that the friction, when turning the wheels, will be reduced to a minimum.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a structure which is, in general, improved over prior structures; to provide a structure of the type'indicated in which the necessary movement of parts is held to a minimum; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilitiesas willhereafter appear and as are inherent in the structure disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative onl and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 shows a plan View of a structure embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a cross-section substantially along the plane indicated by the line 3--3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section approximately along the plane indicated by the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section approximately along the plane indicated by the line 55, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 represents an isometric view of a supporting unit shown in end elevation in Figs, 4 and 5.

While the present structure may be used On a flat floor in conjunction with elongated elevated runways, such as are commonly used in connection with motor vehicle frame-correction apparatus, I have illustrated an apparatus for use in a pit with the tops of the runway sections in the same plane as the adjacent floor. It will therefore be understood that the structure claimed may be used equally as well with either type of approach.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. As has been indicated, the approaches leading to the turntables 2 are supported, according to the present disclosure, at substantially floor level. The supporting structure comprises side rails 3, posts 4,

,jecting upwardly into the path of the forward wheels of a motor vehicle to keep the same from inadvertently running off the front end of the supporting mechanism. On the top I2 of each box It) is arplate l3 provided on its upper surface with tracks l4, along which are guided a pair of carriers l5. The forward and rearward edges of the plate I3 extend downwardly overlapping the edges of the top I2, These downward projections have retainers extending inwardly under the top |2 to prevent inadvertent detachment of the supported structure from the top l2. As indicated in Fig. 6, these carriers comprise webs ll having connecting links l6 connected thereto. At each end of each carrier is a pivot pin l8 which passes through a roller i9 provided at each end with a flange 20, the purpose of which is to prevent the carriers Hi from leaving track M. The flanges 2|] may, if desired, be washers having a larger diameter than the rollers l9.

The plate 2|, provided with downwardlyextending tracks Zla, is supported on the carriers |5 and is connected to the plate [3 by a holding member 22. The holding members 22 permit the plates 2| to slide in a horizontal direction, supported by the carriers I5. Slots 23 in the plates I3, through which the members 22 pass, permit sidewise shifting, relatively to each other, of the plates l3 and 2|. The purpose of this sidewise shifting is to accommodate vehicles having different widths of tread.

For permitting rotational movement of the turntables 2, there are provided pivot bolts 24 which are adjustably mounted in the plates 2| and are secured in adjusted position by means of lock nuts 25. On the under side of each turntable 2 is provided a receptacle 26 in which is mounted a bearing 21 which surrounds the pivot 24 and permits easy turning of the turntables 2 about the pivot. This easy turning of the turntables 2 is enhanced by the wheels 28 rolling on the tracks 29 on the upper surfaces of the plates 2|. The wheels are mounted in boxes 3|] on the under side of the turntables, Adjustable stops 3| are located under opposite ends of the turntables 2 and normally just clear the track 29. However, if the vehicle wheel is not approximately centered, longitudinally of the turntable, one end of the turntable may sag, permitting the stop member 31 to engage the track 29.

From the foregoing, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, it is clear that there may be a limited amount of lateral adjustment of the turntables 2 from the position for the narrowest tread, as shown in Fig. 1, toav considerably wider position, merely by moving the super structures laterally on the tracks l4, sliding the holding members 22 in the slots 23. It is also clear that these turntables may be adjusted laterally, individually, to bring the pivots 24 into alignment with the front wheels ofthe vehicle being tested. Furthermore, the wheels may be run upon the turntables until they are substantially precisely over the pivot 24. Therefore, as the steering wheel is turned to turn. the vehicle wheels to the right or left, the friction of turning will be reduced to a minimum by the wheels 28 and the tracks 29. Since the apparatus for checking the front endgeometry of a motor vehicle is separate from the apparatus here illustrated, it will not be here described.

, It will of course be understood that the specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth herein and in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim: In a support for the purpose stated, a framework, a plate thereon, said plate having a generally centrally'located transverse slot for the 4 reception of a connecting member and laterally arranged trackways substantially parallel to the length of the slot in the plate, a second plate having connecting means extending through and slidable in the slot in the first plate, carriers between the first andsecond plates rollable on the trackways for supporting and guiding the second plate, said second plate having on its upper surface an arcuate trackway, and a third plate having adjacent one edge a pivot means connecting it to an edge portion of the second plate, said third plate having rollable supporting means on its under surface riding on said arcuate trackway and stops for limiting the amount of tilting which the third plate may do. ROY D. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

